WIXLIB

PMI PMP Application TipsOne of the challenges in becoming a PMP is successfully filling out the PMP application, and themost important and most time consuming task is fully documenting your project managementrelated experience. You need to determine right up front if you have the baseline experiencerequired. The minimum experience in leading and directing project tasks is 3 years/36 monthsand 4,500 hours with a bachelor's degree; or 5 years/60 months and 7,500 hours without abachelor's degree. Review all PMI requirements for certification contained on their website. Alsodo not start your application until you read the PMP Credential Handbook.If you are fairly confident that you meet the requirements, then you need to start digging up allof the information on your past Project Management experience and get it into the right formatfor the PMI application.As per the Project Management Professional (PMP ) Credential Handbook, applicants need todocument the number of hours that they led or directed project tasks. Applicants need toconsider all of the projects that they have worked on, and identify how many hours they led ordirected project tasks. Keep in mind that in many cases you may not have actually led ordirected – however – think broadly - if you were independently assigned maintenance andmanagement of the project schedule for example, then you led that activity for purposes offilling out the experience section. All hours spent on project tasks on multiple concurrentprojects count toward the total. Think about your experience in terms of the PMI framework,the Project Management Body of Knowledge, or PMBOK, and become familiar with the PMBOKbefore filling out the application so that you can use PMBOK terminology and project roles.There is an experience verification section on the application to document and report theexperience leading and directing project tasks. Projects need to be documented individuallyregardless of the number of projects. Within the total hours of project management experience,experience in all five process groups is required. However, experience in all five projectmanagement process groups is not required on each and every single project.Applicants for the PMP need to remember that delivering on projects is all about taskmanagement. Many people assume that because they were not the overall project manager,their experience does not count. However, think outside the box, and review projects and tasksthrough like project manager would. Use the PMBOK framework - specifically the ProjectManagement Processes: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing;to understand where tasks and efforts fit into the overall process of managing a project.Steps before filling out the application1. Capture all work experience of the past 5 years, including dates, regardless of what it was. AnEXCEL spreadsheet is an ideal organizational tool for this.

2. Think in terms of the Project Management Processes: Initiating, Planning, Executing,Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing. For each of their experiences, record which of theseprocesses were worked.3. Discard any experiences where you were clearly not working on any of the 5 ProjectManagement Processes. Don’t’ try to fit a square peg into a round hole.4.Make sure each and every one of the 5 Project Management Processes, is represented atleast once across all the identified experience. This is required. If you don’t have experiences inan area then try to get it ASAP.5. Ensure your experience data is ready for computing the number of months and hours ofproject management experience, to be compared against the requirement. Hopefully there isenough experience to meet and actually exceed the requirement, should anything bequestioned. Don’t pad and spread hours across your activities just to meet the requirement –you are subject to audit - and any falsification is considered a violation of professional Ethics andwill prevent you from being accepted and could result in your PMI membership being cancelled.6. Do a short description of each of the experiences, illustrating especially how "leading anddirecting project tasks" was taking place within the specified project management processes.It is acknowledged even by PMI that there are gray lines between work on one project oranother or even one process or another. Applicants need to ensure that any claims they makeare truthful and that they can readily explain them and feel confident with the information theyare providing. A good technique is to try to provide a brief description of the project goals withinformation of level of responsibility assigned, the role played, deliverables produced, size ofproject, stakeholders, and impact. Each experience should be described a little differently, so tryto avoid copying or repeating descriptions of assignments.Remember to check grammar, and run a spell check. The following should go without saying but2 overlapping experiences cannot be considered to each be full time! Applicants also need todetermine the appropriate level of detail for their particular situation. They should feelcomfortable that the reader will find the organization of the information and descriptions of theproject work experience understandable and credible.

The following are examples of experience write ups.Example 1: Assigned to “Alliance” Project to develop new customer business account tracking system.Defined project scope. Drafted project charter. Evaluated the feasibility of the new project. Performedstakeholders ‘analysis. Participated in WBS. Developed RAM (Responsibility Assignment Matrix), andperformed a risk analysis. Obtained project plan approval. Developed a change management plan.Executed action plan. Provided vendor management. Obtained resources through procurement plan.Provided status reports. Provided lessons learned. Formalized and obtained final acceptance for theproject. Participated in project evaluation.Example 2: Assigned to “Project Blackjack” to develop and build new ground penetrating radar equipmentfor oil exploration. Participated in review of the project charter and stakeholders’ analysis. PerformedWBS, developed RAM, participated in risk analysis, and participated in the developing schedule. Obtainedapproval of the action plan. Executed action plan. Provided periodic status reports. Indicated any issues inthe issues log. Participated in a closing meeting. Provided lessons learned. Participated in projectevaluation.Example 3: Assigned to 5 year project to overhaul current Student Visa management process. Performed alogical framework analysis, including a stakeholders’ analysis. Reviewed project charter and gainedclarification of scope, created RAM, and performed a risk analysis. Obtained approval of action plan.Executed action plan of VPN setup to third-party vendor. Recorded any issues during the project in anissues log, and monitored project scope for any out of scope issues. Provided input of lessons learned, andparticipated in project evaluation.Example 4: Assigned to Project “VirTech” to integrate and launch a new virtual managementframework for “XYZ” corporation. Developed Project Charter, Scope document, and took minutesof meetings. Processed documentation such as system design documents, budget versus actualreports, project timelines/schedules, performance reviews, team schedules, and policies andprocedures for financial and property management processes.

Experience Verification ExampleXYZ Company Project Name: Risk Tolerance – 75 HoursSummary: Developed a risk tolerance field within each client’s profile in the client database. Thisallowed team members to access each client’s risk tolerance quickly.Initiating Process – 5 Reviewed the risks of creating a risk tolerance field, specifically remembering torevisit and update once or twice year.Planning Process – 20 Determined the proper way to display each client’s financial risk tolerance.Created a custom field for risk tolerance. Determined a timeline and end date to complete the project.Executing Process – 35 Reconciled client questionnaire (which assessed risk tolerance) and the risktolerance field.Monitoring and Controlling – 10 Established an action plan to review this information and edit asclient’s risk level changes.Closing – 5 Identified the benefits of having this information readily accessible in each client’s profile.Project Name: Sample Asset Allocation Portfolios – 50 hoursSummary: Created and developed multiple asset allocation portfolios based on varying degreesof risk.Initiating Process – 5 Researched best asset allocation mix for each risk tolerance level.Planning Process – 15 Determined best mix of financial instruments to reach each client’s risk level.Executing Process – 15 Selected and reviewed the appropriate financial instruments.Monitoring and Controlling – 10 Continually monitored stock and bond choices to ensure there is noexcessive risk exposure.Closing – 5 Recognized and documented the problems associated with developing an asset allocationmix given current economic uncertainty.Project: Financial Plan – 150 hoursSummary: Created and developed client financial plans using proprietary software.Initiating Process – 15 Reviewed notes of client’s financial goals. Assessed any immediate financial risksthe client had.Planning Process – 15 Gathered necessary financial data and categorized. Developed a backup planshould the client’s financial position not be as strong as they originally believed. Assisted the client inlocating and re-generating the documents an missing financial documentsExecuting Process – 65 Developed and built a financial budget based on each client’s specific needs andfinancial limitations.Monitoring and Controlling – 50 Helped clients realize their financial goals. Reconciled client’s budgetplan and actual expenditures.Closing – 5 Assessed the client’s progress. Presented clients with a report explaining their currentfinancial position and an action plan to reach their goal.